Target-practice apparatus.



J. M GLARK, 31). TARGET PRACTICE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29, 1913- w n m w W m \fi RN N\ m g w 2 g SEQESEEE m &\

J. M. CLARK, 3D. TARGET PRACTICE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION TILED 111:0. 29, 1913.

1,125,475. Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

k5 5 QL JAE IE8 M. CLARK, 833, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 CLARK PATENTS COM- FANY, ENG, OF BUFFALO, NEYV YORK.

TARGET-PRACTICE APPARATUS.

Application filed Becember 25, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Janus i l. CLARK, 3d,

a citizen of the'United States, residing at firearm.

The objects of this invention are to pro duce a device of this kind which is of lI11- proved and simplified construction and is composed of the minimum number of parts; also to produce a target of improved construction adapted to be used with apparatus of thiskind; and also to improve apparatus of this kind in the respects hereinafter specilied.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rifle, partly in section, showing. a target practice apparatus embodying the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the target practice apparatus in operative position in the barrel of a rifle. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the apparatus after being actuated by the firing pin. Fig. l is a similar view of an apparatus of modified construction adapted for use on firearms of larger bore. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a dummy cartridge adapted for use in connection with an apparatus of this kind. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a target holder adapted to be used in connection with an apparatus of this kind. Fig. 7 is a sectional eleva ion thereof. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation thereof with the paper target removed therefrom. Fig. 9 is a paper target adapted to be removably secured to the target device.

A represents the barrel of a rifle or other firearm having front and rear sights a and a, and B the firing pin which is controlled by the trigger C through any suitable mech anism (not shown). The bore of the barrel is enlarged at the breech thereof, forming a cartridge chamber which forms a shoulder 0. against which corresponding shoulders of Specification of Letters Patent.

iPatented Jan. 19, 1e15,

Serial No. 809,200.

the cartridges engage when the firearm is used for shooting. All of these parts may be of any usual or suitable construction and of themselves constitute no part of this invention.

'l'he portion of the target practice apparatus which is attached to the firearm and which transmits the blow of the firing pin or hammer to the target, briefly stated, consists of a coil spring which is inserted into the barrel of the firearm and is secured thereto near the rear end thereof and is provided at the front end with a point adapted to pierce or indent the target, and a dummy cartridge which is interposed between the rear end of the spring and the firing in and through which the force or impact of the firing pin is transmitted to the spring.

I) represents the spring or coil of the apparatus which is preferably closely coiled so that the coils of the spring normally con-- tact with each otl er. The spring is adapted to be inserted into the barrel of the firearm from the rear end or breech thereof and in the construction shown the rear end of the spring is secured in a ferrule (Z having a shoulder or flaring portion which is adapted to engage the shoulder a in the barrel to prevent the rear end of the spring from moving through the barrel. Other suitable means may be employed, if desired, for thus holding the spring.

The shock or impact from the firing pin is transmitted to the spring through a plug E which is suitably secured to the spring near the rear end thereof, for instance by providing the plug with a screwthreaded portion 6 adapted to be screwed into the coils of the spring and to be rigidly held in place thereby, and a reduced portion or stem 6 which extends rearwardly therefrom out of engagement with the coils of the spring.

The front end of the coil spring is provided with a point or needle F which is adapted to strike the target to make a record thereon of the accuracy of the aim of the marksman. This needle, which is in the axial line of the gun barrel, may be formed by the end of the spring itself, but preferably it is formed on the end of a plug f having a spirally threaded portion which is adapted to be screwed into the front end of the spring and to be rigidly held in place therein by the coils of the spring. The plug has an enlarged head f which acts as a guide to center the point F in the barrel and cause the same to move in the axial line of the barrel. This plug and the point thereon are in expensive to make and can be readily secured in the end of the spring.

The dummy cartridge corresponds substantially in size and shape to the actual cartridges so that the firearm can be loaded in the same manner as it is loaded when real cartridges are used. These dummy cartridges can also be placed in the magazine of a repeating firearm so that the target practice apparatus can be employed for rapid firing practice.

The dummy cartridge shown in the drawings comprises an open-ended hollow shell G, which has an open front end and is provided with a transmitting rod or pin 9 which is slid-ably mounted in the shell with its rear end adapted to project into a hole 9 in the rear end of the shell in position to be struck by the firing pin. The shell G fits into the breech of the firearm and has a conical shoulder g which is adapted to bear against the shoulder a of the barrel when the dummy cartridge is in place therein. The transmitting rod g is provided with guide disks 9 g which are secured thereto and which center the rod in the cartridge shell. These disks are so arranged on the transmitting red as to permit the rod to move lengthwise of the shell through a limited distance, one disk forming a stop to limit the rearward movement of the rod and the other disk engaging with the shoulder-g of the shell to limit the forward movement of the rod. ll hen the dummy cartridge is inserted into the breech of the barrel, the front end of the transmitting rod bears against the rear end of the plug E in the spring and stretches the rear part of the spring between the plug E and the ferrule d. The transmitting rod is yieldingly shoved to its rearward position in the shell, in which position the rear end of the rod extends into the hole in the rear end'of the shell in a position to be actuated by the firing pin.

In the operation of the apparatus the dummy cartridge is inserted into the breech of the barrel in the usual manner, causing the end of the transmitting rod to engage the plug E in the spring. l Vhen the trigger is pulled, th firing pin is driven forwardly, striking the transmitting rod of the dummy irtridge, which transmits the blow of the firing pin to the plug The portion of the spring between the plug E and the muzzle of the firearm is substantially like a solid tube since the coils of the spring are in contact and consequently this part of the spring transmits the shock to the plug in the end thereof. The momentum of the plug 7 and the spring causes the spring to stretch so as to allow the plug f to pass ment by the barrel of the firearm and move parallel with the axis thereof.

In the modified construction, shown in Fig. 5, a spring or coil H, corresponding to the spring D shown in Figs. 14, is secured at its rear end in a friction spring or coil H by means of a bushing h inserted between the two springs. When the apparatus is inserted into the barrel of the firearm the friction spring is held in place therein by frictional engagement with the walls the barrel. The front end of the spring H is movable within the friction spring H in the same manner as the spring D is movable in the barrel of the firearm.

The target is of the kind usually employed in connection with practice apparatus of this kind, havin an aiming target 1, Figs. 6 and 9, with which the marksman alines the sights, and a scoring target I having a center or bulls eye 2' which is located below the aiming target I a distance equal to the distance between the upper point of the front sight and the axial line of the barrel.

The targets are usually printed or stamped on sheets of paper which are suspended on a suitable holder. A swinging or flexibly mounted holder as the one shown in Figs. 6-9 is preferably employed, having been found to operate very successfully in connection with the target practice apparatus described.

The holder comprises a'panel or board K of stiff material, such as wood or cardboard,

by means of a flexible strip In, which may be of canvas or other suitable material. The holding frame can be secured to any suitable support '(not shown). In order to prevent the board from being too rapidly worn out by the point F of the apparatus, a sheet 76 of rubber or other tough resilient material is secured over the front face of the panel K. The panel is provided with two or more pins, screws or hooks is, two being shown in the drawings, on which the paper is adapted to be held in front of the resilient sheet The pins are. preferably provided with heads or enlarged ends which hold the paper targets in place 'on the holder. In order to facilitate the placing of the paper targets on the holding frame, each of the paper targets is provided with a key-hole slot 7: having an enlarged portion through which the head of the upper of the two pins 71: is adapted to pass, and a reduced portion which is adapted to engage the pin and prevent the removal of the paper target from the panel without first raising the target to cause the head of the pin which is suspended from a holding frame 7:

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and the enlar ed portion of the slot to register. The paper target also has a notch in its lower edge which is adapted to engage the lower of the two pins to hold the paper target in an upright position so that the aiming target will be located vertically above the scoring target I.

The advantage of a target holder of this kind is that it is yieldingly mounted and does therefore not subject the apparatus to any injurious shocks. The holder can also be employed with paper targets having different sized bulls eyes printed thereon to represent the targets as they appear at different distances.

The target practice apparatus described is simple in construction, consisting only of a single coil or spring which serves both the purpose of transmitting the shock of the firing pin to the target and of moving the transmitting rod of the dummy cartridge into its rear position and thereby avoids the necessity of having a spring for this purpose in each dummy cartridge, which materially reduces the cost of the apparatus, since a number of dummy cartridges are usually supplied with each apparatus.

The target practice apparatus when removed from the firearm can be bent or folded into a compact shape adapting it, for

example, to be carried in a pocket. it comprises no parts which are easily'broken or worn out, and is accurate in its movement from the gun barrel to the target.

As shown in Figs.- 1 and 2, the firearm can be held close to the target in aiming and the flexibly mounted target prevents the apparatus from being injured by contact therewith, and also prevents the marksman from bracing or steadying the muzzle of the the arm against the target.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a target practice apparatus, the combination with a firearm having a barrel and a firing device, of a coil spring adapted to be inserted into said barrel and held at its rear end against movement relatively to the barrel, a plug secured in the spring intermediate of the ends thereof and having a part extending rearwardly within the s rin to receive the blow from the firing device, the rear portion of said spring servto yieldingly hold said plug in position 0 receive said blow, and the front portion of the spring being moved forwardly by the blow of the firing device.

2 in a target practice apparatus, the combination with a firearm having a barrel and a firing device, of a coil spring adapted to be inserted into said barrel and held at its rear end against movement relatively to the barrel, a plug secured in the spring intermediate of the ends thereof, a transmitting rod interposed between said plug and the firing device, the rear portion of the spring yieldingly holding said plug in its rear position to hold the transmitting rod in position to receive a blow from the firing device, and the front portion of the spring being moved forwardly by the blow from the firing device.

3. In a target practice apparatus, the combination with a firearm having a barrel and a firing device, of a coil spring adapted to be inserted into said barrel and held at its rear end against movement relatively to the barrel, a plug secured in the spring intermediate of the ends thereof, a dummy cartridge adapted to be inserted into the barrel having a movable part adapted to be struck by the firing device and to engage said plug, the rear portion of the spring yieldingly holding said plug in its rear positionto hold said movable part in position to be struck by the firing device, and the front portion of the spring being moved forwardly in said barrel ,by a blow of the firing device.

l. In a target ractice apparatus, the combination with a firearm having a barrel and a firing device, of a coil spring adapted to be inserted into said barrel and held at its rear end against movement relatively to the barrel, means for transmitting the blow from the firing device to the spring, a part of said spring being adapted to yieldingly hold said means in position to be engaged by the firing device and another part of said pring being adapted to be moved forwardly by the blow of the firing device.

5. In a target practice apparatus, the combination with a firearm having a barrel and a firing device, of a coil spring adapted to be inserted into said barrel and held at its rear end against movement relatively to the barrel, a plug secured in the spring intermediate of the ends thereof, a point at the end of the spring adapted to make an impression on a target, said plug being adapted to receive a blow from the firing device and transmit the sameto the forward end of the spring to cause the same to move for- "wardly and to be retracted to its rear position by the portion of the spring in rear of said plug.

6. In a target practice apparatus, the combination with a firearm having a barrel and a firing device, of a plug movable in said barrel and beyond the same and guided in its movement by engagement with the barrel, said plug having a central point at its outer end, and a spring in said barrel secured to said plug and adapted to transmit a blow from the firing device to the plug.

7. In a target practice apparatus, the combination with a firearm having a barrel and a firing device, of a coil spring adapted to be inserted into said barrel and having a part which is movable forwardly in said barrel by a blow of the firing device, and a plug in the outer end of said spring having a helically threaded portion adapted to be screwed into the end of the spring, a head which guides the plug in its movement in the barrel, and a central point at the outer end of the plug.

8. Ina target practice apparatus, the com bination with a firearm having a barrel and a firing device, of a coil spring adapted to be inserted into said barrel, a ferrule in which the rear end of the spring is secured and which has an enlarged portion adapted to engage a COI'IQSTJOIldlDg shoulder in the barrel of the firearm to hold the rear end of the spring from forward movement in the barrel, and means for imparting a blow from the firing device to the spring to cause the front portion thereof to move forwardly.

9. In a target practice apparatus, the combination with the barrel and the firing device of a firearm, of a spring in said barrel movable forwardly therein to transmit a blow from the firing device to a target, and a dummy cartridge adapted to be inserted into the breech of said firearm and having a part adapted to be struck by the firing pin and to transmit the blow to said spring, a part of said spring serving to yieldingly hold said part of the dummy cartridge in position to be engaged by the firing device.

10. In a target practice apparatus, the combination with the barrel and the firing device of a firearm, of a spring in said barrel movable forwardly therein to transmit a blow from the firing device to a target, and a dummy cartridge ad pted to be inserted into the breech of said firearm and compris ing a shell and a movable member adapted to move lengthwise in said shell and forming into the breech of said firearm and having'a part adapted to be struck by the firing pin and to transmit the blow to said spring in advance of the rear end thereof, the rear portionof said spring serving to yieldingly hold said part of the dummy cartridge in position to beengaged bythefiring device.

12. In a. target practice apparatus, the combination with thebarrel and the firing device of a firearm, of a spring in said barrel movable forwardly therein to transmit a blow from the firing device to a target and held at its rear end in the barrel, and a dummy cartridge adapted to be inserted into the breech of said firearmand having a part adapted to be struck by the firing pin to transmit the'blow to the spring intermediate of the ends thereof, the rear portion of said spring serving'to yieldinglyhold said part of the dummy cartridge in position to be engaged by the firing pin. Y

Witness my hand, this 23 day of Dec, 1913. v V

JAMES M. CLARK, 8n.

Witnesses: W. J. DONOVAN, K. H. SLAGHT.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Coiinmissioner of iatents,

Washington, D. 0. 

